Police: Video game sparked city's latest homicide

A fight over a video football game at a house in Planeview took a deadly turn late last week, and now three people could face charges in what is being described as Wichita's latest homicide.

An autopsy revealed that Luke German died Thursday as a result of "severe internal injuries" consistent with being kicked, punched and perhaps struck by a pipe, said Lt. Ken Landwehr, head of the Wichita Police Department's homicide section.

Two people have been arrested and police are looking for a third, Landwehr said. An arrest warrant has been issued for Benjamin Redgate, 22, who is suspected of second-degree murder in German's death.

German, 22, was found lying in the front yard of a house in the 3900 block of Roseberry late Tuesday night and taken to Wesley Medical Center, where he died late Thursday night.

While German had no external signs of trauma, Landwehr said, he was not breathing when he was found and he never regained consciousness.

Once the autopsy indicated German was beaten to death, a man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder. A 20-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of helping Redgate escape.

Detectives are expected to present evidence in the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office today, to determine whether formal charges will be filed.

German had been staying at the house on Roseberry with the two men and the woman since Monday, Landwehr said. A woman called 911 Tuesday night to report that a man was down on the ground in front of the house.

Further investigation revealed German and the men had been playing a Madden video football game on a PlayStation 3 when the fight broke out.

"Somebody was accused of cheating," Landwehr said.

The fight started in the front yard of the house, Landwehr said, continued into the house and then back out in the front yard.

German's death is the 14th homicide of the year in Wichita, police said.